Ethical earthquake
Bipartisan efforts urge resignations of House members in scandals
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, speaks at a Feb. 1, 2023, news conference with members of the House Hispanic Conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Below, Lonna Drewes, a woman with sexual misconduct allegations against U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, above, holds a news conference April 14 with her attorneys Lisa Bloom and Arick Fudali in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla.
Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla.
Leger Fernández
Luna
CONGRESS
The House of Representatives is cleaning house. Facing potentially embarrassing expulsion votes, Reps. Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales, mired in rapidly devolving scandals, separately said they'd leave Congress within an hour of each other April 13.
Multiple women in recent days accused Swalwell, a California Democrat, of sexual assault and misconduct. He denied those allegations, calling them "absolutely false."
Gonzales, a Texas Republican, admitted having an extramarital aff air with a staff er who died in September. Gonzales said on a podcast that he "made a mistake" and "had a lapse in judgment."
Just seven months before crucial midterm elections could shift the balance of power in Washington, the high-profile exits punctuated a new #MeToo moment on Capitol Hill. It's part of a broader ethical reckoning highlighting the power of female lawmakers — and historically tight voting margins in the House, with Republican President Donald Trump's agenda at stake.
This month, the chorus of bipartisan calls for the congressmen to resign — or risk getting thrown out — reached a fever pitch.
Swalwell's gubernatorial campaign imploded in a matter of hours after a series of damning reports, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including his longtime Golden State ally Nancy Pelosi, quickly soured on him. Democrats seized on the moment with an "eye for an eye" mentality — promising to force an expulsion vote for Gonzales, whom House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., already asked not to seek reelection, in tandem with their support for Swalwell's ouster.
"All survivors of sexual assault deserve justice," House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., said in a statement. "The resignations of Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales are an initial step in that direction. Their actions are unacceptable of anyone, anywhere — certainly not members of Congress."
Congress' spring cleaning might not be over. Some lawmakers want to use the political momentum to force the departure of two other members: Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Florida Democrat accused of stealing federal disaster money, and Rep. Cory Mills, a Florida Republican embroiled in controversies involving possible stolen valor, financial misconduct and domestic issues.
Cherfilus-McCormick said she looks "forward to proving my innocence." Mills said he's "tired of the slander and the defamation."
Female lawmakers
As it became increasingly evident that the days were numbered for Swalwell and Gonzales, female lawmakers were in bipartisan agreement in pushing for accountability.
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, chair of the House Democratic Women's Caucus, openly supported expulsion for both congressmen. She was the architect of a resolution to expel Gonzales.
"Every member who sexually harasses or abuses their staff needs to go," the New Mexico representative said.
On the GOP side, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida was behind the push to force out Swalwell. She, too, was prepared to kick out Gonzales.
"We have successfully drained part of the swamp this week with the resignation of two very corrupt members of Congress," she wrote on social media.
Margins still matter
As prominent rank-and-file lawmakers swiftly drew red lines surrounding the disgraced congressmen, House leadership was less vocal.
Top Republicans and Democrats, wary of ultrathin margins in the House, stopped short of calling for either lawmaker to leave Congress before his announcement.
Speaker Johnson urged Gonzales not to seek reelection but didn't call for his expulsion.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeff ries, D-New York, didn't publicly tell Swalwell to step down, either. He did, however, say the allegations were "disturbing" and encouraged the Californian to end his gubernatorial campaign.
Swalwell obliged, and resigned from Congress a day later.
"All survivors of sexual assault deserve justice. The resignations of Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales are an initial step in that direction."
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass.
